Judge — February 29, 1896 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes World War I-era international finance and war profiteering. The central storefront displays signs reading "FRANCE," "GERMANY," and "ENGLAND," with references to "JOHN BULL" (Britain's personification) experiencing "STARVATION" and "BLOCKADE." A figure representing the U.S. (left, carrying a "$100,000,000 GOLD" bag) observes European nations conducting commerce amid war's devastation. The cartoon critiques American financial involvement in the conflict—specifically lending money to Allied nations while maintaining ostensible neutrality. The caption "will tide you over until you can settle up with me and quit" suggests the U.S. is essentially financing European warfare, positioning itself as a creditor rather than neutral party. The visual contrast between America's wealth and Europe's suffering underscores contemporary anxieties about profiteering from others' conflicts.